The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has officially sanctioned girls wrestling at its 11th supported sport after a unanimous vote.
In a Board of Directors meeting on January 12th, members were all in agreement to support girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport, with the first sanctioned season coming in the 2022-2023 school year.
Wrestling is the 11th sport to be supported by the organization, and the first to be added since bowling's sanctioning in 2007. The move makes Iowa the 34th state association to sanction girls wrestling.
58 Iowa schools have committed to sponsoring girls wrestling programs, with data showing that about 1,018 girls participate in the sport across 185 schools.
The IGHSAU says it will follow rules and guidelines from the National Federation of State High School Associations, with the next stop of the process including meeting with an advisory committee to finalize details like classification, weight classes, and postseason tournaments.
“We think there’s a great foundation in place for the success of this sport and we intend to fully support these Iowa Girls as they continue their pursuit of championships,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Jean Berger. “As the sanctioning process unfolded, the Board was able to quickly approve this new opportunity for our girls and schools across the state. The increase in participation, the growth in youth wrestling and the willingness of our schools to commit to the sport all factored into this decision.”
“The journey to sanctioning girls wrestling as a sport for the IGHSAU has been a labor of love,” said IGHSAU Associate Director and wrestling administrator Erin Kirtley. “I’m honored to have been given the job as a catalyst to get this part of the process accomplished for the girls in our state. While we have closed the book on formal sanctioning, we look forward to opening the next one now as we highlight all the great stories our female wrestlers are continuing to write. The IGHSAU has said from the beginning that our intent is to do what is best for the girls who participate. We look forward to giving them the same amazing experiences as the other ten sports under our umbrella, and to leave nothing spared when it comes to building them as student athletes and leaders. We also look forward to supporting the coaches and officials who serve alongside these athletes, and to give their fans a greater appreciation for what these females already do day in and day out.”
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